The biggest chunks of wood we split with the Craftsman Manual Log Splitter were 12-in.-dia. rounds of seasoned oak, and we could have gone bigger. The machine didn't struggle, though our patience was strained as we...slowly...worked...the levers that forced each log against the splitting wedge. The hydraulic tool has the look of a truck jack welded onto a steel base. It's clever, compact when stored and relatively cheap ($229). In a John Henry-style split-off, a hand-swung maul was generally faster, and more fun. But the Craftsman generates 10 tons of force. Even the real John Henry couldn't match that.

For the 12-year-old in all of us, WowWee's RoboRaptor is a 2-1/2-ft.-long robot dinosaur with stereo hearing, infrared vision, and touch sensors that help it react to its environment. RoboRaptor is controllable (barely) via wireless remote, or can be set to patrol an area in one of three moods: playful, cautious and hunter. $120; www.wowwee.com

Patagonia's new R1.5 Jacket looks like a superhero costume--but it fights cold, not crime. Constructed with "biomap design," the R1.5 has variable textures for the ideal compromise between weather protection and breathability--for every part of your anatomy. $140; www.patagonia.com

Toshiba's new Qosmio G25-AV513 may feel heavy at 9.5 pounds, but it's quite light when you consider that it is not only a computer, but also a 17-in. LCD TV with an integrated tuner, a digital video recorder and a DVD player. It runs Windows Media Center, but it also can bypass the OS to play both TV and DVDs, and save battery power. $2999; www.toshiba.com

Stuffed animals, baseballs, musical instruments and toy trucks. Sound like your kid's closet? Try your new TV. Hannspree's high-concept sets don't offer much more technology than a 10- to 23-in. LCD screen and an S-Video jack. But with 100-plus playful designs, you may find more creativity around the screen than on it. $449 to $1399; www.hannspree.com

In an age of remote control, it's surprising that you still have to get up to change the song when your MP3 player is hooked into your stereo. Belkin's TuneStage for iPod puts the song selection back on the couch where it belongs. The transmitter and receiver package uses Bluetooth to turn your iPod into a wireless remote that streams music up to 33 ft., even through walls. $179; www.belkin.com

If only our faces were perfectly flat, it wouldn't be so tough to get a decent shave from an electric razor. Those of us with dimpled chins and square jaws will save a lot of awkward stretching with the Norelco SmartTouch-XL. Each of the three shaving heads floats on a spring-loaded pivot, while a secondary pivot system moves the entire surface of the razor to fit your face. $150; www.norelco.com

The original SteriPEN ($150) zaps waterborne microbes with a lethal dose of UV light, but it does nothing to filter metals, sand and debris. That's why it can now be outfitted with a custom-made prefilter ($10) that fits most Nalgene bottles. Just strain water, agitate for 90 seconds with the SteriPEN, and drink. www.steripen.com

We bought the Canon PowerShot S410, the most popular digital camera on Amazon.com--and then we treated it badly ... very badly.

WE DROPPED IT

Whoops! The PowerShot S410 took a 4-ft. tumble, knocking off the shutter button and popping open all the compartment doors. But when we snapped it all together again, it still took good pictures.

WE STEPPED ON IT

Lens open or lens closed? We went for the worst-case scenario and stepped on the PowerShot with its 3x zoom lens extended. Don't try this at home unless you enjoy the crunching sound of gears and lenses forced inside the camera housing. How'd it hold up? Not so well. Lots of whirring and clicking, but no pictures.

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WE DROWNED IT

We bought a new PowerShot and submerged it for 15 seconds. The flash went off, the lens retracted and the camera shut down. We dried it out for three days, but when we turned it on, all we got was a buzzing sound and an "E18" error.

We enlisted a deli counterman, a stopwatch, a micrometer and 15 pounds of meat to test two home slicers against a pro model.

BY TRACY SAELINGER

WHAT THE PROS USE

BIZERBA SE 12 L

Price:Approx. $4000

Size:28.5 x 24 x 25 in.

Features:13-in. blade; 266 rpm

PM's thinnest turkey slice:.0330 in.

Street cred:Carnegie tears through thousands of pounds of pastrami alone each week with its German-made Bizerbas. The slicer claims the thinnest blade in the industry.

SLICERS FOR THE HOME

WARING PRO FS150

Price: $160

Size: 9.25 x 14.5 x 10.5 in.

Features: 7.5-in. blade; 90 rpm; carriage flips up for cleaning

PM's thinnest turkey slice: .0760 in.

Counterman's critique: "A slicer's angle is important. I don't have to put as much pressure on the meat with this one. Definitely the better of the two. It would stand up in a deli...well, a small deli."

CHEF'S CHOICE 625

Price: $180

Size: 14 x 10.4 x 10.8 in.

Features: 7-in. blade; 140 rpm; extra-large carriage area

PM's thinnest turkey slice: .0545 in.

Counterman's critique: "There's no angle! I have to push down on the meat. I guess for the home, that's not a problem. It looks nicer; the adjustment knobs are easier to use."

Slicer TestWe enlisted a deli counterman, a stopwatch, a micrometer and 15 pounds of meat to test two home slicers against a pro model.

The first mass-produced hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles on the road may not look like family sedans or SUVs. In fact, it's possible that they won't even have four wheels. They'll be motorcycles.

Intelligent Energy, a British energy solutions company, has a fuel cell motorcycle that it hopes to bring to market by 2006. The aggressive-looking ENV (pronounced "envy") motorbike uses a 1-kilowatt fuel cell inside a detachable "Core"--about the size of a small suitcase. The Core unhinges from the center of the bike and could, theoretically, be plugged into another fuel cell vehicle.

According to Intelligent Energy, the preproduction prototype ENV will reach its top speed of 50 mph in 12.1 seconds and provide a riding range of 100 miles.

We recently got a short test ride on the ENV and saw both its potential and its drawbacks. Acceleration is instantaneous and quiet due to the electric motor that delivers the power. Unfortunately, the prototype was equipped with mountain-bike brakes and tires, causing it to get a bit squirrelly on low-speed turns. Beefier motorcycle parts are promised if ENV makes it to production.

Refueling is said to take 5 minutes and cost $4 at your local hydrogen refueling station. Don't have one of those in your neighborhood? The company is also planning a shoebox-size reformer that lets you make hydrogen at home from a variety of biofuels. Expect the ENV to retail for around $6000. www.envbike.com

The Bikke is a 16-pound electric two-wheeler powered by an 18-volt lithium-ion battery contained within the frame. Parent company Trikke claims the Bikke can travel 11 miles on a charge at speeds up to 11 mph. The Bikke's smartest trick is a power-saving strategy that starts the motor at 2 mph, leaving the torque-intensive task of pushing off to the rider. It doesn't like hills (I found myself "Flintstoning" on inclines), or water (our first battery shorted out in wet conditions), but when the stars align and the Bikke hits cruising speed, the goofy fun factor is immeasurable. $399; www.trikke.com--Glenn Derene